At the Delano Dubai hotel, luxury is served up with a twist of Miami style

Globe and Mail

08-05-2025

Whether you find yourself in Dubai for a quick business trip or on a stopover heading further afield, this is a city that wants you to come and gawk. The world's tallest building? Check. A ski slope in the desert? Yep. So it's fitting that Dubai's new luxury resort is found on Bluewaters Island, the man-made patch of land that has become a playground for well-heeled sightseers. Tucked behind the city's famous Ain Dubai, the world's tallest Ferris wheel, the beachfront resort hotel Delano Dubai has set up shop where anything seems possible (if you have enough cash), even a fake island.
Perched on the shores of the Persian Gulf, Delano Dubai opened its doors in October, 2024, after taking over a stand-alone wing of the former Caesar's Palace; a 10-month renovation saw rooms expanded and rebranded.
Why you should visit
Guests looking for a reprieve from the city's trademark opulence will get a change of scene here. The 251-room Delano takes its design cues from its Miami outpost, opting for floor-to-ceiling windows in the lobby to showcase the sea view, sleek white-oak flooring and muted furniture with pops of deep, rich colour from the velvet banquettes. At night, the hotel closes the billowy white curtains and dims the lights to transform the lobby into a candle-lit haven, like the living room of your richest friend.
Delano's South Beach mothership looms large here. Framed photos of the Florida hotel line the walls, and bowls of green apples sit at the check-in desk, a nod to designer Philippe Starck, who made his mark in Miami with signs emblazoned with the quote, 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away.' In Dubai, guests return to their room to find a fresh apple placed in a green glass jar.
Expect more sleek minimalism in your room. White walls and curtains give the rooms a beachy, clean vibe, accented by light floors and cabinetry. Plush robes, slippers and a Dyson hairdryer are tucked away in the closet. Marble bathrooms are outfitted with Byredo toiletries and waffle towels. (A fun bonus: Hidden speakers in the bathroom pipe in the sound from your TV in the adjoining sleep area, letting you listen to the news while you get ready.)
Instead of gilded chandeliers or gold-plated anything, Delano flexes its luxury muscle in more subtle ways. The hotel rooms come stocked with a mini-bar offering up undereye hydration patches for puffy eyes, packets of electrolytes and beauty collagen shots along with the usual array of tea, coffee and snacks.
There's no spa here; instead, the hotel is gearing up to open an 'aesthetics clinic' to offer Botox and filler treatments to beauty-conscious guests. But workout buffs will find everything they need in the 24-hour gym, including a full selection of free weights, machines and a yoga studio, plus a separate and private outdoor space for yoga, Pilates classes and meditation.
But the pool is where the real action is. Here, you'll find families and couples lounging under umbrellas or towelling off after a dip under the swaying palm trees. The hotel's Pool & Beach restaurant is on the pool deck and is a great place to grab an outdoor salad or a cool drink and soak up the party-lite vibe: the upbeat soundtrack in the background is not obtrusive enough to interrupt a light snooze or a good book.
Better yet, head to the beach just steps away from the pool and marvel at the fact that you're standing on an island that didn't exist a decade ago.
While service was prompt and friendly, the hotel is still ironing out some minor wrinkles. Wait staff at the hotel's poolside restaurant Tutto Passa seemed flustered and overwhelmed by the breakfast crowd, so securing a much-needed cup of coffee was needlessly complicated.
More surprising, and perhaps less forgivable at a luxury resort, was the noticeable absence of poolside service. You want a high-end mocktail or a cold glass of water to beat the heat? You're on your own.
Step off the island with Frying Pan Adventures for a walking tour in old Dubai, where enthusiastic host Farida Ahmed introduces visitors to all her favourite haunts and gently corrects your pronunciation of 'hummus.' We sampled fresh falafel, an Iraqi fish dish and a delicious array of desserts, including the famous kanafa. You'll leave the tour feeling like a stuffed local.
For a fancier but also completely unpretentious meal on the town, head to Orfali Brothers in the Al Wasl neighbourhood. Chefs and siblings Mohammad, Wassim and Omar pay tribute to their Syrian roots, serving up fun plates such as 'corn bomb' (a crunchy tortilla topped with corn and aged Parmigiano-Reggiano) and 'come with me to Aleppo' (a kebab of wagyu beef with sour cherries on top). The restaurant doesn't serve alcohol, but prides itself on an extensive array of house-made mocktails, including an impressive smoked-sour-cherry kombucha. Be sure to try the vanilla caramel tart and the strawberry cheesecake, which look like works of art.
It's easy to be seduced by the cool elegance of the Delano, which offers a welcome hideaway on Bluewaters Island far from the towering skyscrapers and big-city bustle. It's almost enough to make you forget that you'll be stuck in Dubai's infamous traffic again in no time. Rooms start at around $925 a night. delanohotels.com/dubai
Emirates Airlines offers direct flights from Toronto and Montreal; travellers passing through Dubai on a long layover may qualify for the airline's Dubai Connect program, which offers complimentary hotel accommodation, transfers and meals. If your transfer is longer, the airline's Dubai Stopover program can help make the most of it with exclusive perks and discounts to city attractions. emirates.com
The writer was a guest of the hotel. It did not review or approve the story before publication.